Latest News
Welcome to SLDN's newsroom where you'll find the latest SLDN press releases and news stories.
For more information, please contact:
Kevin Nix
Director of Communications
(202) 621-5402
Paul DeMiglio
Senior Communications Manager
(202) 621-5408
Press Releases
SLDN to March on White House
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and its allies will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots by leading a march of 265 veterans, service members and supporters to the White House 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, to urge President Obama to break his continued silence on repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The 265 marchers represent the number of service members discharged this week since the President and the new Congress were sworn in. ...Read More
SLDN Urges President to Address “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Tomorrow Night
In the wake of the frustration, and in some quarters ire, of the LGBT community at how the Obama Administration is handling public policy issues that affect our lives, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network encourages the President to set forth his plan and timeline tomorrow for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." ...Read More
Conservatives Shift in Favor of Gays Serving Openly in Military
A new Gallup poll released last week finds a significant increase in support among conservatives and weekly churchgoers for allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military. Majorities of weekly churchgoers (60 percent), conservatives (58 percent), and Republicans (58 percent) now favor repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, up 11 to 12 percentage points from 2004. ...Read More
SLDN: Active-Duty Combat Aviator Booted from Military
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) has learned that Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach was recently notified he will be separated from the US Air Force under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." ...Read More
Op-eds
Kansas City Star: Voices from the Heartland
Obama and Congress don't need to study gays in the military. They need to look at what the president from the Show-Me state did and follow his example. ...Read More
Boston Globe Op-Ed: Military Just Catching Up
In a recent Boston Globe op-ed, SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis discusses the urgency and doability of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" sooner rather than later.
...Read MoreBoston Globe: The Writers React to Each Other
SLDN's Aubrey Sarvis refutes Elaine Donnelly's op-ed in Sunday's Boston Globe. ...Read More
New York Times: An About-Face on Gay Troops
GENERALS are scolded for preparing to fight "the last war," but if President Obama intends to keep his promise to allow gays to serve openly in the military, he would do well to study President Bill Clinton's attempt of 16 years ago. ...Read More
Getting Ahead of Congress
Consider "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which proved a political quagmire for Bill Clinton early in his first term. In 1993, just 44 percent of Americans believed gays should serve in the military. Today, an encouraging three-quarters of the public believes gay people should serve openly. Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell will still be controversial. But with significant public support for a repeal, the time is ripe for the administration to signal that it takes the issue seriously. ...Read More
